Crown counsel has approved two counts of animal cruelty charges against Michael Hopcraft, also known as the The Reptile Guy, following a BC SPCA investigation.

According to a press release issued by the BC SPCA, Hopcraft was also charged with one count of violating the Veterinarians Act.

The investigation began after a video emerged showing Hopcraft performing a veterinary procedure on a friend’s blood python without the use of sedation or pain medication.

“Clearly, it is not appropriate for any individual without a veterinary license to be performing such procedures,” said Marcie Moriarty, chief prevention and enforcement officer for the BC SPCA.

“In this case, the manner in which the procedure was carried out could have resulted in the death of the animal. It is also concerning that the operation was done without the necessary pain control, which would have caused suffering and distress for the snake.”